1. Field of the Invention
Newspaper insert feeding mechanisms, particularly a method and apparatus for feeding a bundle of newspaper inserts into a hopper inserting station. In the newspaper printing industry, a great deal of recent attention has been given to techniques for advancing inserts such as Sunday magazine supplements, advertising and the like into a hopper inserting station. More often than not, the inserts are printed independently of the newspaper and, therefore, require collation with the printed newspaper at the time of publication.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Anderson u.s. pat. No. 3,883,131 PA1 Watson u.s. pat. No. 3,708,368 PA1 Polit u.s. pat. No. 3,705,719 PA1 Humphrey u.s. pat. No. 3,599,965 PA1 Nalbach u.s. pat. No. 3,521,108 PA1 Hepp u.s. pat. No. 3,522,942 PA1 Spencer u.s. pat. No. 3,507,492 PA1 Lauren u.s. pat. No. 3,362,707 PA1 Stroud u.s. pat. No. 3,298,683 PA1 Link u.s. pat. No. 2,853,299
The above-noted patents represent various delivery apparatus and methods specifically adapted for delivery of sundry types of folded forms onto a vertical stack. However, none of the above-noted references teach the combination of a hopper feeder which includes a horizontally positioned shovel for dropping a batch of inserts by gravity into a hopper for subsequent feeding to a later station. Particularly the articulated shovels of Lauren, Stroud, and Link depend upon controlled lowering of a batch, and not the provision of a frictionless shovel for dropping inserts vertically into a hopper as taught by the instant disclosure.
Unlike the method and apparatus according to the instant disclosure, these spades are required to move in both horizontal and vertical planes and do not allow for an instantaneous horizontal repositioning of a shovel vertically above a hopper.
Anderson illustrates a stacking sequence employing articulated trays A and B for batch placement onto a moving table. Watson illustrates a shuttle device for continuously positioning inserts between rollers, Polit is a like type of loading apparatus for continuously feeding inserts by shuttling to a subsequent sequence of rollers.
Humphrey illustrates another form of a continuous hopper feed with a level control.
Both Nalbach and Spencer require an endless chain for moving batches of articles vertically to a subsequent single feed from the bottom. The endless chain includes a counter for selective advancing of the supporting racks.
Hepp requires a vertically traveling conveyor in order to lower a supported batch slightly onto contact with carrier rollers.